Sexual coercion among in-school adolescents in Rwanda: prevalence and correlates of victimization and normative acceptance

Els Van Decraen, Kristien Michielsen, Sarah Herbots, Ronan Van Rossem, Marleen Temmerman

Abstract

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to sexual coercion, as victim as well as perpetrator. This paper aims to adapt sexual and reproductive health interventions to the reality of young people’s sexuality and relationships. This study assesses the prevalence of forced sex, characteristics of victims and norms regarding sexual coercion among Rwandan adolescents. A survey was completed by 285 senior secondary school students and four focus groups were conducted. Of sexually active respondents, 15.5% (95% CI = [15.1 – 15.9]) reported forced sexual intercourse. Sexual victimization was associated with being female and having (had) a concurrent sexual relationship. Acceptance of sexual coercion was associated with importance attached to Rwandan traditions and an interaction term between sex (being male) and alcohol use. Respondents linked concurrency and age-disparate relationships to transactional sex, increasing the risk of sexual coercion. Various risk factors were identified. The findings suggest the need for moving towards comprehensive sex education (Afr J Reprod Health 2012; 16[3]: 139-153).

Résumé

Les adolescents sont particulièrement vulnérables à la coercition sexuelle, en tant que  des victimes, ainsi que des auteurs. Cet article vise à adapter les interventions en santé sexuelle et de la reproduction à la réalité de la sexualité et des rapports des jeunes gens.  Cette étude fait une évaluation de la prévalence de rapports sexuels forcés, les caractéristiques des victimes et des normes relatives à la coercition sexuelle chez les adolescents rwandais. Une enquête a été réalisée au sein des 285 élèves des classes supérieures du secondaire et quatre groupes de discussion à groupe cible ont été menées.  Parmi les interviewés qui étaient  sexuellement actifs, 15,5% (IC 95% = [15,1 - 15,9]) ont signalé des rapports sexuels forcés. La persécution sexuelle a été associée au sexe féminin et au fait d’avoir (eu) une relation sexuelle concurrente.  L'acceptation de la coercition sexuelle a été associée avec une importance accordée aux traditions rwandaises et un terme d'interaction entre le sexe (le fait d’être  homme) et la consommation d'alcool. Les interviewés ont associé la concurrence et des rapports basés sur  la disparité d’âge, au sexe transactionnel, ce qui augmente le risque de la contrainte sexuelle. Divers facteurs de risque ont été identifiés.  Les résultats suggèrent la nécessité de s'orienter vers une éducation sexuelle complète (Afr J Reprod Health 2012; 16[3]: 139-153).

 

  Keywords: Rwanda; adolescents; sexual coercion; mixed methods

Full Text:

PDF

References

International Planned Parenthood Federation. Sexual rights: an IPPF declaration. Abridged version. IPPF: London, 2009.

Population Council. Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Africa: Literature Review, 2008.

International Conference on Population and

Development. Programme of Action, 1994.

World health organization. Defining sexual health. Report of a technical consultation on sexual health 28-31 January 2002. Geneva: World health

Organization, 2002.

International Planned Parenthood Federation. GenderBased Violence and Reproductive Health. Int Fam Plan Perspect 2004; 30(4): Special GBV issue.

Campbell S, Sefl T. The Impact of Rape on Women's Sexual Health Risk Behaviours. Health Psychology 2004; 23(1):67-74.

Cluver L, Gardner F, Operario D. Effects of Stigma on the Mental Health of Adolescents Orphaned by AIDS J Adolescent Health 2008; 42(4):410-17.

Lacasse A, Mendelson MJ. Sexual coercion among adolescents - Victims and perpetrators. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 2007; 22(4):424-37.

Ivy DK, Hamlet S. College students and sexual dynamics: Two studies of peer sexual harassment. Commun Educ 1996; 45(2):149-66.

Chan KL, Straus MA, Brownridge DA, Tiwari A, Leung WC. Prevalence of Dating Partner Violence and Suicidal Ideation Among Male and Female University Students Worldwide. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health 2008; 53(6):529-37.

Brown A, Jejeebhoy S, Shah I, Yount K. Sexual relations among young people in developing countries: evidence from WHO case studies: WHO: Department of Reproductive Health and Research, 2001.

Erulkar AS. The experience of sexual coercion among young people in Kenya. Int Fam Plan Perspect 2004; 30(4):182-89.

Kazaura MR, Masatu MC. Sexual practices among unmarried adolescents in Tanzania. BMC Public Health 2009; 9.

Jewkes R, Nduna M, Levin J, Jama N, Dunkle K, Khuzwayo N, et al. A cluster randomized-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of Stepping Stones in preventing HIV infections and promoting safer sexual behaviour amongst youth in the rural Eastern Cape, South Africa: trial design, methods and baseline findings. Trop Med Int Health 2006;11(1):3-16.

Merson MH, Dayton JM, O'Reilly K. Effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions in developing countries. Aids 2000; 14 (suppl 2):S68-S84.

Gallant M, Maticka-Tyndale E. School-based HIV prevention programmes for African youth. Soc Sci Med 2004;58(7):1337-51.

Bertrand JT, Anhang R. The effectiveness of mass media in changing HIV/AIDS-related behaviour among

young people in developing countries. World Health Organization Technical Report Series 2006; 938:205-41.

Michielsen K, Chersich M, Luchters S, De Koker P, Van Rossem R, Temmerman M. Effectiveness of HIV prevention for youth in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and nonrandomized trials. Aids 2010;24(8):1193202.

Speizer IS, Magnani RJ, Colvin CE. The effectiveness of adolescent reproductive health interventions in developing countries: a review of the evidence. J Adolesc Health 2003; 33 (5):324-48.

Bronfenbrenner U. The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design: Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1979.

Heise LL, Moore K, Toubia N. Sexual Coercion and Reproductive Health: A Focus on Research. New York: The Population Council, 1995.

Ministry of Health, National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda and I. C. F. Macro. Rwanda Interim Demographic and Health Survey 2007-08, 2009.

Republic of Rwanda, National Aids Control Commission. UNGASS January 2006 - December 2007. United Nations General Assembly Special

Session on HIV/AIDS. Country Report Rwanda, 2008

Bridgeland J, Wulsin S, McNaught M. Rebuilding Rwanda from genocide to prosperity through education: Civic Enterprises, LLC With Hudson

Institute, 2009.

Marston C. What is heterosexual coercion? Interpreting narratives from young people in Mexico City. Sociology of Health & Illness 2005; 27(1):68-91.

Jejeebhoy S, Bott S. Non-consensual sexual experiences of young people: a review of the evidence from developing countries: Population Council, 2003.

Andersson N, Ho-Foster A. 13,915 reasons for equity in sexual offences legislation: A national school-based survey in South Africa. Int J Equity Health 2008; 7.

Hallman K. Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Unsafe Sexual Behaviors of Young Women and Men in South Africa. In: Council P, editor. Policy Research Division Working Paper, 2004.

Wood K, Jewkes R. Violence, rape and sexual coercion: Everyday love in a South African township. Gender and Development 1997; 5(2):41-46.

Wilson AE, Calhoun KS, McNair LD. Alcohol consumption and expectancies among sexually coercive college men. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 2002; 17:1145-59.

Larimer ME, Lydum AR, Britt KA, Turner AP. Male and female recipients of unwanted sexual contact in a college student sample: Prevalence rates, alcohol use, and depression symptoms. Sex Roles 1999; 40:295-308.

Krahe B, Bieneck S, Scheinberger-Olwig R. The role of sexual scripts in sexual aggression and victimization. Arch Sex Behav 2007; 36(5):687701.

Zablotska I, Frankland A, Prestage G, Grulich A, Imrie J. Risk taking and safer sex practices in casual relationships between men. Sex Health

;4(4):295-95.

Lehrer JA, Lehrer VL, Lehrer EL, Oyarzun PB. Prevalence of and risk factors for sexual victimization in college women in Chile. Int Fam Plan Perspect 2007; 33(4):168-75.

Chersich MF, Luchters SMF, Malonza IM, Mwarogo P, King'ola N, Temmerman M. Heavy episodic drinking among Kenyan female sex workers is associated with unsafe sex, sexual violence and sexually transmitted infections. Int J Std Aids 2007;18(11):764-69.

Chersich MF, Rees HV. Causal links between binge drinking patterns, unsafe sex and HIV in South Africa: it’s time to intervene. Int J Std Aids 2010;21:2-7.

Malamuth NM. An evolutionary-based model integrating research on the characteristics of sexually coercive men. Advances in Psychological Science, Vol 1 1998:151-84.

Testa M, Dermen KH. The differential correlates of sexual coercion and rape. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 1999;14(5):548-61.

Arata CM. Shattered subjects: Trauma and testimony in women's life-writing. Contemp Psychol 2000; 45(6):669-71.

WHO Global Coalition on Women and AIDS. (2004). Violence against women and HIV/AIDS: critical intersections. Intimate partner violence and HIV/AIDS. WHO: Information Bulletin Series.

Kuyper L, De Wit J. Laat je nu horen! Een onderzoek naar grensoverschijdende seksuele ervaringen onder

jongeren. Utrecht: Universiteit Utrecht & Rutgers WPF, 2009.

Jewkes R, Abrahams N. The epidemiology of rape and sexual coercion in South Africa: an overview. Social Science & Medicine 2002; 55(7):1231-1244.

Astbury J, Bennett LR, Manderson L. Mapping a Global Pandemic: Review of Current Literature on rape, Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment of Women. Geneva: Global Forum for health Research, 2000.

Greenall M, Karasi L. Review on out of school youth and sexual and reproductive health in Rwanda. Based on: Behavioural Sentinel Surveillance with Young People (2006) of the Treatment and Research AIDS Centre

Wamoyi J, Wight D, Plummer M, Mshana GH, Ross D. Transactional sex amongst young people in rural northern Tanzania: an ethnography of young women's motivations and negotiation. Reprod Health 2010; 7(1):2.

Wamoyi J, Fenwick A, Urassa M, Zaba B, Stones W. "Women's Bodies are Shops": Beliefs About Transactional Sex and Implications for Understanding Gender Power and HIV Prevention in Tanzania. Arch Sex Behav 2010; 40(1):5-15.

Musabyimana G. Pratiques et rites sexuels au Rwanda. Paris : L’Harmattan, 2006.

Kuyper L, De Wit J. Het vervolg op 'laat je nu horen!'. Utrecht: Universiteit Utrecht & Rutgers WPF., 2011.

Gijs L, Gianotten W, Vanwezenbeeck I, Weijenborg P.

Seksuologie. Houten: Bohn Stafleu van Loghum, 2009.

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.